Got a problem with your air-conditioning at home? Require a plumber in Hong Kong to fix a leaky pipe? Or perhaps some lights aren’t working! If you need something fixed, cleaned, painted or plumbed, navigating handyman services in Hong Kong can be tricky – especially for expats. Challenges include sourcing reliable home repair contacts, language difficulties, negotiating job specs and prices, and more. That’s the gap that new company Papabo set out to fill. They offer a way of easily accessing a handyman in Hong Kong to carry out repairs and improvements via a one-stop home services app.
Since launching last year, Papabo has already picked up a silver award as Best Startup & Future Enterprise Award at the CAHK Star Awards 2022. It’s also been recognised as a Caring Company for 2022/2023 in recognition of its commitment to positive social impact. As of May 2023, it also maintained a five-star Google rating.
We asked the team for some more details about the service.
Why did you start Papabo?
We were already working in the construction industry and aware of the real-world challenges affecting customers when maintenance or repairs were needed. Due to how behind the property repair industry is, finding a qualified, timely and reliable handyman when needed is often a difficult task. It can result in unsatisfactory outcomes, long lead times for work completion and unpredictable costing. Papabo’s mission is to resolve these challenges with technology.
What are the main differences between booking with the Papabo app compared to finding handyman services online?
We match customers and workers together based on compatibility of location, job scope and skillsets. We also provide the technological infrastructure to make each job as efficient, reliable and transparent as possible.
For customers’ peace of mind, we vet each handyman on three fronts. Our onboarding process requires that they share all relevant identification documents and licenses. Then, once onboarded, technology keeps track of their ongoing job history, performance and customer reviews.
How do you get started after downloading the Papabo app?
- Submit a job request via the app.
- Pick a professional handyman in Hong Kong of your choice based on their profile, reviews and pricing.
- Track your job by communicating in-app with your chosen handyman about scheduling and job progress.
- When the job is complete to your satisfaction, leave a comment about your overall experience.
How quickly can you have a home repair booked and finished through Papabo? Also, are there any hidden costs?
A qualified handyman or plumber in Hong Kong will usually be matched for a respective repair within hours. As soon as the user has picked their ideal handyman for the work, that handyman will complete the work according to their availability and the job complexity, for the agreed price and without any hidden costs.
What’s a key thing you’re trying to emphasise at the company?
While we’re continuously developing the technology to make the property repair industry as operationally efficient as possible, we’re also extending our resources to assist vulnerable communities, including the elderly, disabled and lower income communities through our PapaCare programme. By volunteering our staff, workers and handyman database through this initiative, we aim to provide a greater quality of life for these communities in Hong Kong.
Use the Papabo app to book these home services and more:
- Plumbing
- Air-conditioning
- Electrical
- Furniture Assembly
- Painting
- Windows
- Locksmith
- Flooring & Tiling
- Woodwork, Renovation
- Waterproofing
- Polishing & Waxing
- Waste Disposal
- Appliances
- Pest Control
Find out more at papabo.hk.
This article first appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
